There was a slew of trades across the NBA over the last 24 hours leading up to the trade deadline. One trade that might have gotten lost in the shuffle is the Boston Celtics’ acquisition of center Xavier Tillman via trade from the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies received a pair of second-round picks for the 25-year-old Tillman on Wednesday as the Celtics improve their frontcourt depth. Before his Boston debut on Friday, Tillman sent a message to Grizzlies fans and Memphis as a whole.
“Thank you Memphis! You’ve allowed me to meet some lifelong friends! You’ve shown me what it means to have pride for the city you play for! You showed me what unconditional love is! I am forever Grateful to be a part of the Memphis Grizzlies,” Tillman said on his Instagram.
The Grizzlies selected Tillman out of Michigan State early in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft. He was a consistent part of the rotation throughout his four years with Memphis, averaging 17.7 minutes per game in 207 appearances. He started 56 of those games.
Tillman missed some time this season with injuries and hasn’t played since Jan. 29 due to a knee injury. In total he’s played 34 games with 13 starts, averaging 6 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest.
Free agent audition or something more?
Although his counting numbers aren’t all that impressive, Xavier Tillman has been lauded for his defensive presence and high motor. A few of his performances in the playoffs last year caught the eye of NBA fans and executives as well.
Tillman started all six games in the Grizzlies’ first-round loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, with his standout showing coming in a Game 2 win. Tillman notched his first career playoff double-double in that game with 22 points and 13 rebounds. He added 12 points and eight rebounds in Game 4 but struggled to contribute in the other four games of the series, shooting 36 percent from the field.
With Tillman on an expiring contract, he may need to impress in the playoffs again if he wants to stick with the Celtics. He’s shown he’s worthy of a multiyear deal free-agent deal though and should get some offers this summer, whether it be from Boston or not.
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